TEMPLE, TX – American homeowners “have an obsession” with their
kitchens and most wish to remodel the space in one way or
another.That’s the key conclusion of a major new market research
survey conducted by Wilsonart Laminate, a unit of the Temple,
TX-based surfacing manufacturer Wilsonart International. The
consumer survey, whose results were released in May, involved a
nationally projectable sample of 1,128 female homeowners, according
to Wilsonart officials. Seventy percent of those women are married,
78% have at least some college education, and 45% have one to two
people living in their household; 15% have five or more people in
their household, and 48% have children under the age of 18 living
at home. The average annual household income of the surveyed
consumers is about $65,000.
Of those surveyed, a whopping 97% said they would change
something about their current kitchen; only 3% reported they would
do nothing. Asked what they most want to change, cabinets were the
top choice, followed by the kitchen’s size (see Graph above,
top).
Among the other results of the survey were the following:
- A high percentage of the surveyed consumers (41%) indicated
they have never undertaken a kitchen remodeling project, while 23%
said their kitchen had been renovated in the past two years. - Most surveyed consumers (68%) reported they were planning to
undertake some form of kitchen remodeling within the next five
years, while 15% said they were planning a project within the next
six months.
“Americans have an obsession with their kitchens and because we
spend so much time in them, it’s not surprising that most people
want to renovate this room,” said Ron Gagnon, Wilsonart director of
design and marketing.
“Our survey reflects the high expectations consumers now have
for their kitchens,” Gagnon added. “It’s amazing what showplaces
kitchens have become.”
Kitchens today are also beginning to reflect the changing needs
of Baby Boomers who “are altering their kitchens to ensure that
their homes remain the nexus of their multi-generational
gatherings,” according to Wilsonart.
The company noted that a recent nationwide survey of top
designers revealed a strong desire among aging Baby Boomers to
customize their kitchens in a way that will enable them to remain
“family- or child-friendly.”
Among the design and product features aging consumers most want
are task lighting for specific areas in the kitchen; textured,
low-maintenance countertops; lowered countertop heights and other
ergonomic considerations to reduce bending and stretching; softer
floors and two sinks.